An exposition with practical observations continued upon the thirty-eighth, thirty-ninth, fortieth, forty-first, and forty-second,…

First, The state of the Church and people of God. Thus Moses reports Balaam shadowing the power and blessedness of Israel, when he came and was hired to curse them (Numb. 23.22.) God (saith he) brought them (that is, the children of Israel) out of Egypt; he hath, as it were, the strength of an Unicorn. Most expound the word, He, collectively, concerning that whole people, as one body; He, that is, Israel, hath as it were, the strength of an Unicorn; that is, he is exceeding strong. Some expound it of God: He, that is, God, who brought them out of Egypt, the mighty God of Jacob, hath as it were, the strength of an Unicorn. God is indeed infinitely strong, stronger than the Unicorn. That which is most eminent in any creature, or for which any creature is most eminent, the Scripture often ascribes in a way of super-eminency unto God. The Lord hath strength like the strongest; and how strong soever he is, he is strong for his Israel, yea, he is the strength of his Israel. So that if we take the word in this latter sense, it reaches the same thing, setting forth the power and strength of Israel, by the strength of the Unicorn; for the Lord, who is their strength, will make them strong like Unicorns. Balaam spake thus again (Numb. 24.8.) God brought him (all Israel as one man) out of Egypt; he hath as it were, the strength of an Unicorn, he shall eat up the Nations his enemies, and shall break their bones, and pierce them through with his arrows. Thus also Moses spake or prophesied of the Tribe of Joseph (Deut. 33.17.) His glory is like the firstling of his Bullock, and his horns are like the horns of Unicorns, with them shall he push the ⟨p. 381⟩people (or peoples, the word is plural) together, to the ends of the earth, and they are the ten thousands of Ephraim, and they are the thousands of Manasseh. Moses sets out the fruitfulness of Ephraim, beyond that of Manasseh, ten for one; and in both, jointly shows how powerful, how prevailing they shall be; even, as if they pushed their enemies with horns like those of Unicorns. In all these Scriptures, the Lord fore-showed the wonderful force of the Jewish Church of old, his portion and peculiar people, by that of the Unicorn. David also (as was said before) expresseth his assurance of a prosperous condition and great success, in the same language (